SPRINGFIELD -- The College of Business and Management at the University of Illinois at Springfield has received word that it has been accepted for accreditation by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

AACSB International is the world's premier accrediting agency for collegiate schools of business. The designation places UIS' College of Business and Management among an elite group – only about 10 percent of business programs worldwide and about 28 percent in the U.S. presently have this accreditation.

"We are very proud of this achievement, and very proud as well of the college's faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders who played such a significant role and made numerous contributions," said CBM Dean Ronald McNeil.

"The multi-year process -- during which the college underwent meticulous internal review, evaluation, and adjustment -- required a great deal of commitment and determination."

UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen noted, "We congratulate everyone who worked so long and hard to achieve this milestone. A vibrant and relevant mission, high quality programs and teaching, and graduates who have demonstrated specified learning goals are just some of the reasons why CBM has succeeded in earning this prestigious designation."

Schools in candidacy are visited by peer review teams of academic and administrative officials from other business schools and from the private sector who evaluate the institution relative to standards that are widely accepted in the educational community.

Some of the strengths noted by the UIS peer review team included overall high quality of the programs, development and delivery of high-quality online degree programs, and the establishment of two international educational exchange partnerships.

Earning AACSB accreditation is a voluntary, three to seven-year process during which a school develops and implements a plan to meet a wide range of quality standards relating to strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students in the educational process, and achievement of learning goals in degree programs. Accredited schools undergo a peer review every five years to maintain their status.

Five of UIS' academic programs are housed within the College of Business and Management: Accountancy, which awards both the bachelor's and master's degree; Business Administration, which awards both the BBA and MBA; Economics, which awards the bachelor's degree; Management, which awards the bachelor's degree; and Management Information Systems, which awards the master of science degree.
The BBA, Economics, and MIS degree programs are also offered fully online. Accountancy and Business Administration are routinely among the campus' five most-enrolled programs.

The College also offers the following degree programs through UIS' Peoria Center: Accountancy; Business Administration, both the BBA and the MBA (in a 21-month program for working adults); and Management.

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, AACSB International is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1916 and currently comprising more than 900 educational organizations and corporations. Its mission is excellence in management education in colleges and universities.

For information about AACSB, go to www.aacsb.edu. For more information about UIS' College of Business and Management, contact McNeil at 217/206-6533, or go to www.uis.edu/cbam/.

The University of Illinois at Springfield, one of three U of I campuses, is a small, public liberal arts university that offers 42 degree programs: 21 bachelor's, 20 master's, and the Doctorate of Public Administration. UIS has a special mission in public affairs and service and is known for extraordinary internships, a wireless campus, extensive online offerings, and a commitment to teaching.